Obama, you're no John Paul II – UPDATED

In pondering the question of whether or not Team Obama released for publication his prayer at the Western Wall, I wondered if any other politician had done the same. John McCain apparently did not.

There has been a case where the text of a prayer left at the Western Wall was purposely released, but that was a very specific prayer, released for a specific reason. As part and parcel of a whole acknowledgment of wrongs against the Jewish people, John Paul II’s prayer at the Western Wall was made public. It was made public because it was pretty much a signed and stamped historical document, one that has been preserved at Yad Vashem.

God of our fathers,
you chose Abraham and his descendants
to bring Your name to the nations:
we are deeply saddened
by the behavior of those
who in the course of history
have caused these children of Yours to suffer
and asking Your forgiveness
we wish to commit ourselves
to genuine brotherhood
with the people of the Covenant
Jerusalem, 26 March 2000.
Joannnes Paulus II

We really need to know if Ma’ariv is telling it straight when they say that Obama released the prayer as he left his hotel and headed to the Western Wall. [UPDATE: Says TNR, “Yediot Aharonot, Israel’s most popular daily, apparently also received a copy of the note in advance but decided not to print it.’ – End Update]

I want to believe he did not…but it must be said that his team’s placement of “Obama” signs at the Kotel – which was pretty inappropriate in that holy place – may well indicate that the prayer was released intentionally.

To which I cannot help but think: Senator Obama, we knew John Paul II, and you are no John Paul II. The prayer – not being a historical document – should not have been released.

Meanwhile…we wait to see if the press will cover any of this.

I hate going here…it makes me feel dirty. But if the Obama team played this card, it needs an answer – a definitive one – and going here is now legitimate.